The 2015 Volvo XC90 still looks like a Volvo, but it is now one of the most handsome SUVs on the market.

Graeme Fletcher, Driving

2015 Volvo XC90

Graeme Fletcher, Driving

2015 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

2015 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

The plug-in 2015 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

2015 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

2015 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

2015 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

2015 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

Best New SUV/CUV over $60,000: 2016 Volvo XC90

Handout, Volvo

STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN — All too often, a car that’s billed as being all-new really is not — the majority of it may have been tweaked or reworked, but seldom is it overhauled from bumper to bumper. The Volvo XC90 is the exception that makes the rule. Everything from the styling to the platform and powertrain choices is totally new, as is the company’s infotainment system.

Stylistically, the new XC90 will not be mistaken for anything other than a Volvo, although the front LED daytime running lights (nicknamed Thor’s Hammer because of the shape) add a bejeweled look to the front end. The curvaceous tail lights do the same at the back end.

Any and all similarities to previous model end right here.

For starters, the XC90 rides on Volvo’s Scalable Product Architecture (SPA) platform that was developed in-house. A full 40 per cent of the structure is made of ultra-high and high-strength steel, which contributes to the 125-kilogram reduction in the curb weight when compared to the outgoing model. The advantage to the clean sheet design is it will accommodate all future powertrains, including the top-line plug-in hybrid. It also brings surprising interior space, especially for those seated in the second and third rows. The middle row is made of three individual seats, each of which can be moved forward from the normal position to increase third-row legroom or up the cargo capacity. The third row is made up of two seats. In the end, the ability to fold all the seats individually lends a great deal to the XC90’s flexibility.

2015 Volvo XC90Graeme Fletcher /
Driving

Another move sees the XC90 powered by an all 2.0-litre four-cylinder range of engines — the Drive-E line-up. When the decision was made in 2008 to ditch the six- and eight-cylinder engines, Lex Kerssemakers, senior vice-president for product strategy at Volvo, admitted to being a little unsure if this bold step would fly, especially in North America, where big engines rule. The decision has since been vindicated, as most car companies are switching to smaller-displacement forced-induction engines in an attempt to reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

The XC90 will be offered with three engines, all of which will be teamed with an eight-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel-drive.

The engine of choice will likely be the so-called Twin Engine variant — it will be badged T8. It features said 2.0-litre four, however, it is both supercharged and turbocharged (the former boosts low-end performance; the latter comes into play in the mid- and upper ranges) and drives the front wheels. The rear wheels are powered by an 80 horsepower electric motor, which gives it on-demand all-wheel-drive. The lithium-ion battery pack is housed in the central tunnel where it does not eat into the interior space or compromise the seven-seat capacity.

2015 Volvo XC90Graeme Fletcher /
Driving

The T8 comes with three driving modes. Normal uses both power sources to extract the best fuel economy. The second mode (Pure) sees the XC90 run on electric power alone for up to 40-kilometres. The Power mode employs both sources to the max, which delivers 400 hp and 472 pound-feet of torque. Volvo says this gives the XC90 the wherewithal to sprint from rest to 100 kilometres an hour in 6.9 seconds.

The other two engine offerings will be the T6, a turbocharged/supercharged four-cylinder delivering 320 hp and 295 lb.-ft. of torque, while the base T5 (turbocharged-only) delivers 254 hp and 258 lb.-ft. of torque.

By far the coolest feature of the opulently attired XC90 is a swanky new infotainment system. It is streets ahead of any other system, and by a very wide margin.

It features a tablet-like touchscreen that dominates the centre stack. There are four main tiles with the climate controls anchoring the bottom of the screen. The top three tiles are fixed — navigation, infotainment and phone. The fourth allows the driver to pick an often-used app — weather information on the demonstration unit. When one of the tiles is touched it expands, which compresses the others. The good news is that even in a compressed state they are still visible and readily accessible, which eliminates the need to go back to the home page to switch function. Not only are the touch points large and easily accessed, the screen recognizes swipe, pinch and stretch gestures. It is like an iPad, but with one significant advantage — the driver can operate the screen with gloves on, which is a huge plus in Canada.

Beyond the touchscreen, the user interface includes thumb controls on the steering wheel and an advanced voice recognition system that will also include a voice-to-text function, allowing the driver to send hands-free text messages.

Two other pages flank the home screen, which can be accessed via an Apple-like home button. The first lists all of the driving and safety aids, each of which can be turned on or off at the touch of a finger. The third screen houses the apps and cloud-based Internet services. This includes things like Internet radio, connected navigation and music streaming. The system is fully compatible with both Apple and Android devices including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. In an odd move, it does not work with Blackberry.

As for the XC90’s other features, well, they are almost too numerous to list and depend upon the model. The highlights include a Bowers & Wilkins audio system with 1,400-watts of power and no fewer than 19 speakers, a full-sized panoramic roof, a foot-operated power tailgate, a 360-degree camera system, adaptive cruise control and a self-parking system.

The 2015 Volvo XC90 still looks like a Volvo, but it is now one of the most handsome SUVs on the market.Graeme Fletcher /
Driving

Every XC90 will come with run-off road protection. Volvo says it actively helps to prevent a crash should the SUV begin to drift off the road. The system works like lane departure warning, but watches for the edge of the road. If it detects a problem it automatically inputs some steering, sounds an alarm to alert the driver and tightens up the front seat belts to keep the riders in the right place in the event the worst does happen. The XC90 also has no fewer than five cameras and three radars, one of which looks rearward to detect a potential rear-ender.

The new XC90 will not arrive in showrooms until April 2015 (with a starting price of $60,700), however, Volvo will sell 1,927 (the year the company was founded) fully loaded First Edition models exclusively online beginning September 3, 2014. It is priced at $81,500.

So, what of the future? Volvo says it will overhaul its entire portfolio by 2019, which is no mean feat. This will include the V60 Cross County, which will make its debut at the Montreal Auto Show this coming January.